Friction draft-gear.



. H. C. PRIEBE. FRICTION DRAFT GEAR. APPLICATIQN FILED JUNE 7, 1912.

Patented Deo. 23, 1913.

'Juhu 101ml( tiran erraten FRICTION DRIAFT-GEAR.

Application filed June 7', 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

llie it known that I, HERMAN C. PRIEBE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blue island, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Draft Gears, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to friction draft gears and has for its general object the provision of an improved arrangement of the spring mechanism entering` into the construction of such gears and the improved formation of-the friction elements whereby the friction surface supporting parts may be removed and replaced when worn, there being means for holding these friction surface supporting parts in position in the operating structures.

I will explain my invention by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which-- Figure 1 is a. plan view, partially in section, the sectional portion being taken on line 1 l of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vertical scctional view on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, a portion of one of the friction elements being broken away so as to show thel manner in which it is supported in position and other friction portions being omitted to render the illustration clear; Fig. e is a sectional view generally7 taken on line e d of Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 show the separably mounted friction blocks which venter into the preferred form of the invention.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The coupler, of which a `portion l is shown, is provided with the usual shank 2 and is fixedly connected with the usual vertically disposed coupler yoke 3." The coulpler yoke incloses a forward pocketed fol-- lower plate Il and a rear pocketed follower plate These follower plates are divided by vertical ribs 6 to afford two pockets per follower plate. Each pocket in each follower plate contains a top and bottom tri-I angular friction block 7, one being shown in perspective in Fig. G. Each ocketed follower plate thus contains four friction blocks, two per pocket. The side Walls of Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented liee. .23, EEE.

semi No. roar/1.

so that there is no undue frictional wear of the friction blocks upon the follower plates.

The upper friction blocks in each follower plate are provided with sloping bottom friction surfaces and the bottoni friction blocks in each follower plate are provided with upper friction sloping surfaces, these surfaces of the friction blocks in each Ifollower plate diverging toward the opposite follower plate. Two friction members l0, l0 are normally pressed apart by springs ll against the top and bottom sides of the coupler yoke 3, these coupler yolre sides limiting the extent to which the friction mombersl() may be separated. The friction portions l2 of the elements l0, l0 are desirably of the form illustrated in perspective in Fig. 5. rilhe friction elements 10ere provided with outsetting shelves 13 so that the element l0 whichhappens to be uppermost will be in position iixedly to support the end friction blocks 12 associated therewith. rlhe elements l() are formed at each end in two pockets, in each of which pockets a. block l2 is received so that thereare four blocks l2 to each element i0. rThe walls of these pockets are provided with insetting hori- Izontal lugs lliextending longitudinally of the coupler yoke and received within grooves l5 (Fig. 5) so that the friction blocls l2 in the friction element i0 that happens to be lowermost are prevented from dropping. Each element l0 and its end friction blocks are in fixed relation se as to avoid undue frictional wear. The shelves i3 are longi= tudinally slit, as illustrated in Fig. i, to receive the rib plates G and permit of movement of these shelves within the verticai pockets of the contiguous follower plates whereby thesloping friction surfaces of the blocks i2 carried by the elements l() are in contact with the corresponding surfaces of the bloeit' 7, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 2. The springsll are vertically-dis posed and are of sufficientstrength normally [to keep the friction elements in separated relation.

V/'hen the coupler is thrust upon with suficient force the forward follower plate moves to the rear, the rear follower plate being prevented from rearward movement owing to the rear draft lugs 16. The for' ward triangular blocks 7 press upon the engaging triangular blocks 12 and the rear triangular blocks 12 press upon the rear triangular blocks 7 whereby the friction elements 10 and the blocks l2 moving therewith are 'caused mutually to'approach against the force y,of the springs 11, and thus in moving friction is created suitably to retard the .rearward movement of the coupler. lVhen .the coupler is pulled uporr with sufficient force the rear friction blocks 7 press upon the rear blocks l2 the "forwardb follower plate being held from forwardimo/vement by the forward draft lugs 16).*a`d the forwardv blocks 152 press upon the'y forward blocks 7 whereby the friction elements 10 and the blocks carried thereby are caused mutually to approach against the force of said springs, frictionbeing'set up Aat the same time suitably to retard the forward movement of the coupler. When .the abnormal pulling or pushing strain has been removed the springs 11 distend and effect the normal separation ofthe elements 10 and thereby thc location of the forward follower plate against the forward end of the yolre 3 and the rear follower plate against the rear end of said yoke, whereby the equipment is restored to normalposition preparatory to opposing further abnormal strainsaipon the Gear. D lllhilc l `have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wishto be limited to the precise details of construction illustrated as changes may readily7 be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

' blocks Having thus described my' invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:-

1. A friction draft gear including poclreted follower plates having verticallydisposed pockets; friction blocks in the topv and bottom portions of said pockets, said pockets and the upper ones of said blocks being provided with interengaging lugs and grooves extending' longitudinally of the draft gear whereby the upper friction blocks are prevented from dropping; friction elements entering said pockets; and spring mechanism pressing these latter friction elements into frictional engagement with the aforesaid friction-blocks.

2. A friction draft gear including pocketed follower plates having vertically disposed pockets and friction portions s upper` and lower friction elements entering s aid pockets to have frictional engagement with said friction portions, the upper friction element having shelves; forward and rear friction blocks carried by said shelves and entering the pockets of the follower plates; and spring mechanism pressing these latter frietion elements into frictional engagement with the aforesaid friction portions.

3. A friction draft gear including pocketed follower plates having vertidally disposed pockets and friction portions; and upper and lower friction elements entering said pockets to have frictional engagement with said friction portions, one of said friction elements lincluding friction blocks and a portion carrying the same, said portion and having `interengaging lugs y grooves extending longitudinally of the draft gear whereby said friction blocks are prevented from dropping.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this rst day of Jpne A. D., 1912.

' 'HERMAN aC. PRIEBE. Witnesses:

' L. WHITE, G. L. CRAGG.

and 

